Floyd Mayweather Jr. has developed a reputation as one of the bad guys in sports. He’s created a persona where he’s disliked for his behavior but respected for his ability. The big reason he’s the most-watched fighter in boxing is because his fans want to watch him win while his haters want to see him lose; he has both bases covered. No surprise, Floyd has always felt that he doesn’t gets the respect he deserves. In a recent Q&A with the LA Times, he expressed the same sentiment.
Asked if he enjoyed having doubters because it fuels him, Floyd essentially confirmed that was the case. “Everything people say I couldn’t do I’ve done. They said I’ll never be a big pay-per-view star. I’m the biggest out there. They said that Marquez was too small, that Shane Mosley was too old. Mosley wasn’t too old for Antonio Margarito, look who Marquez is fighting [Pacquiao in December]. I never get my just due, but I’m right where I want to be in this sport.”
We’ve said it before that there are some athletes who thrive on hate and doubt, and Floyd is clearly one of them. Guys like Barry Bonds and Gary Sheffield seemed to play their best when the world was against them. It sure appears as if that’s the case with Floyd.
The reality is we’ve picked on Floyd plenty of times at LBS for his bozo behavior outside of the ring. However, you have never once read anything from me criticizing Floyd’s fighting style in the ring. Floyd is the best pound-for-pound fighter of my lifetime and I have nothing bad to say about his boxing career. Maybe he just chooses to ignore the “due” he receives because he needs the hate to succeed. Maybe this is all part of his mental game.
